Prior guidance methods for leader/follower systems using simple voice communication over radio or Bluetooth systems limit the quantity and level of detail that can be employed by the users. The time needed by a leader who functions as a guide for a follower individual or group of people, to describe geographic features, obstacles, hazards, and desired actions to a follower or followers is long and compromises the ability of followers to react and effect collision avoidance maneuvers or simply follow specified paths that are dynamically changing. Without visual confirmation, the leader also cannot discern if followers are aligned with specified paths. These issues are particularly acute for Visually Impaired (VI) participants in recreational and competitive athletic events.
A new path guidance system has been invented that incorporates a virtual path created by the leader and detected by the follower(s). An algorithm:                1. Computes the followers deviation from the path;        2. Alerts the follower via multiple forms of feedback to direct the follower back to the desired path;        3. Alerts the leader of the follower(s) deviation from the path; and,        4. Gives the follower predictive information of upcoming path changes and their intensity.        
Prior art has used GPS, Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), ultrasound and other tracking methods in leader/follower systems.
Hogg, et. al. (2001) uses GPS and Inertial Measurements to create a path following system for pack robots to follow a leader. The path of the leader is recorded and then downloaded to the following robots. The path following algorithm uses a “carrot following” approach to command the following robot to a path sub goal.
The present invention differs in that it transmits the leader's data to the follower in “real time” or near real-time. Additionally, the present invention uses two way communications to alert the leader to the follower's deviation from a path. The follower also gets information on upcoming path changes of the leader and the intensity of those upcoming changes to prepare for future movements.
Cosgun (2014) presents a navigation system that guides a human with a visual impairment to an object using haptic feedback in the form of a vibrating belt. The present invention differs in that it provides real time guidance to follow a path that can be dynamically changing, not guidance to a stationary object as in Cosgun (2014). Also, in the present invention, it can be important for a follower path to be in alignment with different portions of a leader path history.
Henze (2006) investigates different forms of haptic feedback to aid in guidance of pedestrians with a visual impairment. That system however is not intended for precise path following as is the current invention.